Press for dampening shirts



(No Model.) l

L. H. WATSON.

PRESS FOR DMPENING SHIRTS.

Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS H. VATSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRESS' FOR D'AMPENING SHIRTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373.868, dated November 29, 1887.

Application filed June 28, 1886. Renewed October 4, 1887. Serial No. 251,401.

. .To all whom it Vmay concern:

.with regard to the bosom portion of a shirt.

In .laundries, where a large number of such articles are to be dampened and ironed, means for quickly and effectively distributing the moisture throughout the sprinkled fabric will .be found exceedingly convenient and desirable.

The obj-ect of this invention is to provide a simple, reliable, and effective construction of press, wherein any'desired number of dampened shirts can be conveniently placed in proper shape and then pressed so as to distribute the moisture uniformly throughout the fabric, after which the pressure can be removed and the apparatus readily manipulated so as to remove the pressure device to one side, and thereby permit free access to be had to the articles.

vTo the attainment of such end my invention consists in matter hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figurel represents in perspective a shirt-press constructed in accord-- ance with my invention, with the arm or support which carries the platen or pressure device swung to one side. Fig. 2 represents said press, partly in elevation and 'partly in section, on a vertical central plane. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail representing a portion of the latching or locking device.

In said drawings, A indicates the table, which is secured upon an appropriately-constructed stand, B. The swinging arm or support for the pressure device is arranged to swing in a horizontal plane over the table, and is supported at one end by a vertical rod or standard, D, which rises from the stand at one side of the table. At its opposite end the (No model.)

horizontally-swinging arm is provided with means whereby, when it is in position to bring the pressure device over the table, it can be locked. The locking device consists of a rod, E, attached at one end to the free end ofthe horizontally-swinging arm and at its opposite end provided with a hook, E. This rod drops down from the swinging arm, in order that when said arm is in position to bring the pressure device properly over the table the hook end of the rod E can be engaged with the eye of an eyebolt, F, that is secured to the stand or table. By such arrangement the rod E not only constitutes a catch for holding the ,arm against any tendency to swing as long as the rod is in engagement with the eye, but it also ties the free end of the arm to the stand or table, so that the arm shall rigidly resist and oppose the resistance that is necessarily incident to the act of pressing articles upon the table. v

The pressure device herein shown is constructed with a plate or platen, G, swiveled upon the lower end of the verticallyarranged adj usting-screw G', which latter is arranged to work through a screw-threaded bearing, with which the swinging` arm C is provided at or about a point intermediate'of its ends. The

eyebolt passes through the top portion, B', of 8o v such purpose, and that after such engagement the arm will spring up to substantially its normal position. rlhe swinging arm could be pivoted upon the upper end of the rodor standard D, but more desirably it is fitted to and rigidly held upon said standard-as, for example, it can be clamped between a shoulder on the standard or rod and a tightening, E, in which case the rod is mounted so as to be susceptible of an oscillation about its axis. As herein shown, the stand is provided with two bearings for said rod. One of these bearings, H, is arranged at or near the upper portion of the stand, and at a point just under said bearing the rod is provided with a shoulder, D2, which prevents the rod from being drawn upward when the pressure device is tightened down upon the articles that are to IOO be pressed. The bearing H is fixed at a point below the bearing H, and is formed with a step or socket, into which the lower end of the oscillatory rod is stepped. By the foregoing arrangement of the swinging arm carrying the pressure device and rigid with the oscillatory rod and the bearings for the latter a substantial and steady swinging support is attained.

Preparatory to placing the sprinkled artioles upon the table the swinging support carryin g the pressure device can be swung around, so as to leave a clear space above the table and permit the operator to properly place the articles upon the table with no hinderance whatever. After this the swinging support can be swung around so as to bring the pressure device in proper operative position and the swinging support then locked, as hereinbefore explained.

It may also be noted that for the sake of lightness and cheapness the arm C can be made of wood, and a threaded bearing. I, for the ad justing-screw be secured to said arm, as herein shown. The table A can aiso consist of a wooden board secured upon the stand.

The table and stand have hereinbefore, for convenience of description, been referred to as separate devices. For the purposes of the claim, however, it will be understood that the term table comprises a bed such as indi- 3o cated at A for the articles that are to be pressed to lie upon and some suitable support for said bed.

What I claim as my invention is- A shirt-press for laundry-work, consisting 35 of the table A., whereon the dampened shirts are to be laid, the overhanging horizontallyswinging arm carrying a pressure device, such as set forth, the vertically-disposed oscillatory rod D, to which the horizontally-swinging arm 4o is at one end secured, the rod E, depending from the opposite free end of the horizontally swinging arm and having its lower end provided with a hook, and an eye, F, secured to the table and located to be engaged by the 45 hook when the horizontallyswinging arm is in position over the table, said members being constructed, combined, and organized substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose speeilied.

LEWIS H. WATSON. Witnesses:

ROBERT N arson, Miss M, J AoQUEs. 

